Ecclesiastical device



May 16, R. BRENNAN 2,158,531

ECCLESIAS'IICAL DEVICE Filed Aug. 15, 1938 4 BY INVENTORY gIT'oRNEY Patented May 16, 1939 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE Application August 15,

3 Claims.

This invention relates to a portable ecclesiastical set such as is adapted for sacramental and devotional purposes generally as well as for use by the clergy of the Roman Catholic Church for administering the sacraments of baptism, communion and extreme unction.

One object of the invention is the provision of a novel and compact structure of this character which is in the general form of a cross and which is so constructed as to provide space for storing certain accessories and of which the parts are capable of arrangement in such a manner as to display the cross in upright position together with candles suitably arranged in connection therewith.

Another object of the invention is the provision in a device of this character of a base shaped in the form of a cross and provided with a recess upon one face thereof for receiving a cross in such a manner that the cross presents the appearance of forming a part of the base.

A further object of the invention is the provision in a device of this character of a base in the form of a cross having a portion of the interior hollowed out to provide recesses for the reception of ecclesiastical accessories together with a shallow cross-shaped recess for receiving a portion of the thickness of a cross while leaving the upper face thereof exposed, together with suitable interconnecting means carried by the cross and base for holding the cross releasably within the shallow recess.

A further object of the invention is the provision in a device of this character of a crossshaped base portion having a recess in one face thereof for the reception of a cross adapted to fit therein, and having secured in the base and concealed by the cross when in assembled position therein, suitable holding means for the cross and other ecclesiastical accessories to maintain them in display position relative to the base.

Other objects and advantages of the invention relate to various improved details of construction and novel arrangements of the parts as will be more fully set forth in the detailed description to follow.

Referring to the drawing:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view of the base and cross in assembled relation with the cross retained in position within the shallow cross-shaped recess formed in the face of the base member,

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the base showing the cross mounted thereon in raised position together With candles supported by the base in normal display position of the parts,

1938, Serial No. 225,070

Fig. 3 is a transverse sectional view through a portion of the cross and base, taken substantially along the line 33 of Fig. 1, and showing accessories in position within the recess of the base,

Fig. 4 is a detail sectional View, taken throug one of the arms of the cross and base substantially along the line 44 of Fig. 1, and. showing the position of one of the candle retaining sockets mounted in the base, and,

Fig. 5 is a detail sectional view, taken substantially along the line 55 of Fig. 1, and showing the location and construction of the attaching means for releasably securing the cross in the base.

In the embodiment of the invention illustrated herein l designates generally the base which comprises a normally upright portion 2 and laterally extending arms 3, the ends of the upright portion 2 and arms 3 being provided respectively with outwardly extending ornamental projections 4 and 5, which may be formed integral with the upright and arms respectively, or formed separate therefrom and secured thereto in any suitable or desired manner, as by means of appropriate holding means.

The upper face of the base I is provided throughout the major portion of the extent of the main upright portion 2 with a shallow surface recess l, which recess also has lateral extensions 8 formed in and extending throughout the major portions of the front faces of the lateral arms 3, the recesses I and 8 are so formed as to terminate in a back or base area of substantial extent and be bounded by straight peripheral shoulders 9 so formed as to receive in close interfitting relation the vertical upright l0 and lateral arms H of an ornamental cross 12. The recesses l and 8 are of substantially uniform depth throughout the greater portion of their extents but in the lower portion of the upright 2 a further depressed recess is provided forming a chamber l4 within the cross receiving recess of suitable shape and size to receive ecclesiastical accessories, such as or including candles l5. Throughout those portions of the recesses l and B of which the interior areas are additionally recessed there are provided lateral ledge portions 16 supporting portions of the cross l2.

Positioned within the upper portion of the upright 2 and within the recessed part thereof is another recess I! adapted to receive the base of the cross l2 whereby portions of the base serve to provide means for supporting the same in upright display position. Located in the lateral arms 3 and within shallow recesses 8 and substantially equi-distant from the center of the cross are candle holding cups l8 each provided with a circular bore and an outwardly extending flange I9 adapted for attachment to the base of the cross by means of attaching devices 20.

A fastening member 2| is secured to the base I, preferably within a portion of the recess I, by any suitable attaching means 22, and may be provided with an exteriorly recessed head 23 receivable within a cup-shaped resilient clamping member 24 receiving the head and secured to the rear face of the cross l2 at a point located in corresponding relation to the position of the fastening means 2| on the base I, by a fastening means 25.

When the cross I2 is inserted in the recesses I and 8 the head 23 is located in position to fit within and be engaged by the resilient clamping portion of the member 26 whereby the cross I2 is releasably retained within the recesses l and 8 and in attached relation with the base I. In the assembled position of the cross and base the cross overlies and serves as a cover for the chamber M to retain the candles l5 and other accessories housed therein securely in position within the chamber. The cross also serves as a cover for the recess IT as well as for the candle sockets or cups !8 located in the recesses 8.

In the display position of the parts, as shown in Fig. 2, the cross 12 is separated from the base by lifting the same from the recesses 1 and 8, which action separates the holding members 23 and 24. The base of the cross i2 is then inserted in the recess IT, which may be formed within the vertical recess 1 of the base, and is then supported by the base in upright display position and intermediate the candle holding sockets H3. The candles l5 may then be placed within and held in upright display position by the sockets l3, and be lighted to display the cross in its upright position.

The cross l2 may be of any suitable or desired character, and may include as a part thereof a corpus with or without other suitable religious emblems appropriate for display, and in the present case the cross l2 as shown is of an ornamental character, being provided upon the face thereof with vertical and horizontal inserts 26 and 27. These inserts may be in the form of substantially straight ornamental lines of a character contrasting with the surface appearance of the cross and enhancing the ornamental character of its display face. In the present case, the inserts 26 and 21 are formed of metal wire or bars of a substantially permanent and distinguishing color inset within the body of the face of the cross and having their exterior surfaces substantially flush with the exterior surface of the face of the cross throughout their extent. These inserts may be made of metal of any suitable character, such as will retain its appearance without corrosion or discoloration and may be of such a nature in their arrangement as to display lines or configurations other than the straight horizontal and vertical lines illustrated herein.

What I claim is:

1. A device including two completely separable elements adapted for cooperative interconnected use in the act of worship and forming an ecclesiastical set comprising a cross, and a base in the form of a cross having a cruciform recess in one face thereof having vertical and opposed transverse extensions to receive the vertical and transverse portions of said cross in horizontal interfitting relation with the base, raised peripheral shoulders surrounding the recess for engagement with the marginal edges of the cross, a raised cross supporting base area carried by the base and located within that portion of the vertical extension of the cross receiving recess above the transverse extensions of the recess having means for supporting the cross in upright display position relative to the base, and a raised cross supporting base area carried by the base and located within the opposed transverse extensions of the recess having means for supporting a pair of candles, one within each transverse extension, in upright display position relative to the base.

2. A device including two completely separable elements adapted for cooperative use in the act of worship and forming an ecclesiastical set comprising a cross, a base in the form of a cross having a cruciform recess in one face thereof to receive said cross and provided with one or more portions forming a raised cross supporting base area of substantial extent located Within parts of the transverse and vertical extensions of the cross receiving recess and peripheral shoulders surrounding the recess for engagement with the marginal edges of said cross when the same is fitted within the recess, means carried by said cross supporting base area and located within that portion of the recess above the transverse extensions thereof for supporting said cross in upright display position relative to the base, candle supporting means: carried by said cross supporting base area and located within opposite transverse extensions of the recess for supporting a pair of candles in upright display position relative to the base, said candle supporting means and cross supporting means being concealed from view by said cross when the same is fitted within the recess.

3. An ecclesiastical set comprising a cross, a base in the form of a cross having a cruciform recess in one face thereof to receive said cross and provided with cross supporting base areas having their horizontal surfaces lying substantially within a common plane, the height of said cross supporting base areas being less than the depth. of said recess so as to form peripheral shoulders surrounding the recess for engagement with the marginal edges of said cross when the same is horizontally positioned within the recess, means carried by and embedded within certain of said cross supporting base areas for supporting candles in upright display position relative to the base and in symmetrical relation with the main upright portion of the recess, said cross supporting base areas being concealed from View when said cross is horizontally positioned within the recess, and cooperating means carried by the rearward face of said cross and one of said cross supporting base areas for detachably connecting said cross and base when said cross is horizontally positioned within the recess of said base.

RAYMOND F. BRENNAN. 

